If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Training With Non-Hunting Dogs Around

Hey guys. As you may have seen in my other thread, I'm in the process of getting my first hunting pup. My concern is that I also have 1.5 year old husky that is just a family pet. She is an outside dog, as my lab would be as well. They would be contained to the yard via our electronic containment system, except of course when we go for daily runs and such... My question though is this. Do you guys that have other family pets always take your hunting dogs somewhere else to train in order to avoid distractions and such, or is it a non-issue for you? I love my husky and she loves me, but she's a little too "prissy" for me. I tell people that she's my wife's dog. I'm getting this lab to be "my boy" and am just wondering what kind of issues to expect while trying to train him with a non-hunting dog around potentially teaching bad habits or being a distraction.

Not to hijack your thread, butI was wondering the same thing. Picking up my pup April 20th and she will be a house dog along with the poodle/bishon mix that my wife had before we got married. Our current dog is in the house, on the furniture, stays out during the day, etc. New Pup will be indoors but kenneled when we're not home and will probably have different "house rules" than the little dog. I was wondering if this was going to make the training process more difficult. Thanks for the great question, hopefully we get some responses.

Seperate on initial training. As you teach and the desired reaction is achieved, you add distractions but not until the dog understands fully and is 100% in compliance. I've gone as far as running three dogs on a double T in a public dog park. Lots of distractions there! Good luck and have fun!

Seperate on initial training. As you teach and the desired reaction is achieved, you add distractions but not until the dog understands fully and is 100% in compliance. I've gone as far as running three dogs on a double T in a public dog park. Lots of distractions there! Good luck and have fun!

I agree do not add distractions until training has reached a level of confidence that your dog understands what you have gone through. If you don't it will be a mad house and full of frustrations.
Well said Chuck.

The landowners of one of my training spots have a border collie that loves to "play" with us when we train. I have a 6yo BLM that is very focused and knows his job, but is truly annoyed by this border collie that wants to herd him, or steals bumpers from marks or blind piles. Yes, distractions can be helpful with making a dog understand it has to ignore them, but you have to plan your training according to exactly what the distractions end up being. It is hard to line a dog up for a blind when a border collie is crouching right in front of you, staring intently, and ready to nip as soon as the working dog is released.

So, my advice is, see how your other dogs behave while you are training your retriever. They could make valuable training time less valuable.

Agreed with Chuck as well. Please IMBED this in your thinking: You WILL have the dog you TRAIN for. It doesn't matter if you have dogs, cats, pigs or bunnies. Nor does it matter if your wives, girlfriends, kids, or Mother-in-laws attempt to spoil your dog.

The training and relationship with your working dog (and buddy) will be through competent and fair training, consistency, and your ability to shape the dogs world using the aforementioned.

Read up, study, get with other good trainers and always remember your dog thinks like a dog. So you need to learn how to think like one.

Word of caution. You have good intentions but make sure the rest of the family is fully commited to your rules for the hunting dog. I have a higher standard for my working dog. Sit before we enter the home or fenced area, No people food, sit before being allowed to eat, no playing tug-of-war, don't put your feet on me, etc...

Additionally, dogs kept in a pin or kennel look forward to your visits. Your training session is the high point of their day. If the two dogs are playing all day then your demanding BS is annoying and they'd rather play with the husky. I have kenneled my dog for an hour before training and then for an hour after training (to allow the dog to process what he just learned).